Near Future (aller + infinitive) — I can form the near future using aller + infinitive.

Historical Context & Motivation

Every language needs a way to talk about the future, and French is no exception. However, unlike English, where we simply say "I will" or "I am going to," French developed multiple systems to express upcoming events. The construction known as the futur proche (near future) — built from the verb aller (to go) plus an infinitive — is one of the most frequently used ways to express future actions in everyday French. Understanding where it came from helps you appreciate why it works the way it does today.

The key question this lesson answers is straightforward: how do you conjugate aller in the present tense and attach an infinitive to express what someone is going to do? By the end, you will be able to construct near-future sentences with confidence, recognize the pattern in reading and listening, and distinguish the futur proche from other future constructions.

Core Principles & Definitions

The futur proche is built on a simple two-part formula. First, you conjugate the verb aller in the present tense to match your subject. Then, you immediately follow it with the infinitive form of whatever action you want to express. Nothing changes about the infinitive — it stays in its base dictionary form. This is why the futur proche is considered one of the easiest French constructions to learn.

Visual Explanation

As the diagram shows, the construction works like snapping two puzzle pieces together. The left piece — the conjugated form of aller — changes depending on who the subject is. The right piece — the infinitive — always stays in its dictionary form. This predictability makes the futur proche one of the first future constructions you will master. Notice that aller is highly irregular, so each form must be memorized individually: vais, vas, va, allons, allez, vont. Once you have those six forms down, you can pair them with any infinitive in the French language.

How It Works — Sentence Construction

The Affirmative Pattern

For example, if you want to say "Marie is going to study," you identify the subject (Marie = elle), choose the correct aller form (va), and add the infinitive (étudier). Result: Marie va étudier.

The Negative Pattern

To negate our earlier example: "Marie is not going to study" becomes Marie ne va pas étudier. Notice how ne comes before va and pas comes after it. The infinitive étudier remains untouched at the end of the sentence.

Pronoun Placement

Detailed Conjugation Breakdown

Since the entire futur proche construction depends on how well you know the present tense of aller, let's examine each form in detail. Aller is one of the most irregular verbs in French — its forms don't follow any of the standard -er, -ir, or -re patterns. The table below pairs each subject pronoun with its aller form and provides a complete futur proche example using a different infinitive for each row.

Worked Example

Let's walk through a complete example, including translating an English sentence into French using the futur proche, and then forming its negative.

Futur Proche vs. Futur Simple

French has more than one way to express the future. The futur proche (aller + infinitive) and the futur simple (a one-word conjugated form) both express future actions, but they differ in tone, register, and implied timeframe. Understanding when to use each will make your French sound more natural.

Connection to Advanced Structures

Mastering the futur proche does more than let you talk about tomorrow's plans — it builds a foundation for more advanced French grammar. Several structures you'll encounter in French 2 and beyond follow the same pattern of a conjugated helper verb plus an infinitive. The table below previews how the futur proche connects to these future topics.

Notice how the passé récent (venir de + infinitive) is essentially the mirror image of the futur proche. Instead of "going to" do something, you "just" did it. If you can handle aller + infinitive, you already have the mental framework for this construction. Similarly, the expression être en train de + infinitive uses the same principle — a conjugated helper followed by an unchanging infinitive. These patterns will feel familiar because you practiced them first with the futur proche.

Practice Problems

Lesson Summary